


Winter Nights

by moveslikeyeager



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: It’s just soft boyfriend fluff, M/M, Mafuyu loves his boyfriend, Uenoyama is a shy bean, Yuki mentioned, little bit of making out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28224372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moveslikeyeager/pseuds/moveslikeyeager
Summary: Mafuyu and Uenoyama spend a night together... and then a shared moment in a dark storage room...
Relationships: Kaji Akihiko/Nakayama Haruki, Satou Mafuyu/Uenoyama Ritsuka
Comments: 2
Kudos: 124





	1. ‘It’s snowing.’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Mafuyu’s previous memory of Winter consisted of Yuki’s passing, he’s slowly making new ones with Uenoyama. The two boys share a walk under the stars...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I refer to Uenoyama as ‘Ritsuka’ through the narration because everyone else is mentioned through the use of their first names. I hope you’ll enjoy this short piece of fluff! :)

Walking down the dimly lit street, Mafuyu turned his head at a regular interval to see if he could identify anyone else. For the fifth time in the past five minutes, he could confirm that they were alone. He readjusted his guitar case strap and glanced up at the night sky. Whereas he could barely see where he was going due to the poorly illuminated street, the sky had never seemed brighter. He already had an idea as to why that was and it had something to do with the guitarist walking beside him. After having stared up at the specks of light dotted across the sky, he sneaked a glance in his _boyfriend_ ’s direction. _Boyfriend…_ He’d only ever referred to Yuki in that way after his death. What a strange feeling it was to be able to call a living person such a title.

Ritsuka had his hands shoved in his pockets and he was staring down at the gravel pavement beneath their feet. He seemed to be more concentrated than what was expected of someone simply walking home. Mafuyu guessed that it was due to his silent presence. It would be understandable for the more experienced of the two lovebirds to be slightly upset at the other for being so distant, but Mafuyu had no discrepancies in waiting for his boyfriend to be ready. The way he acted in public wasn’t his primary preoccupation because he knew that that would take time. He was more concerned about how awkward Ritsuka always seemed to feel when it was just the two of them… Perhaps ‘concerned’ wasn’t the correct verb. A more accurate assumption would be how Mafuyu had more than noticed Ritsuka’s apparent discomfort when it came to being in a relationship. The one thing he wanted to know, however, was if that was his reaction toward being involved with someone in general or more specifically with another boy.

Understanding that you were attracted to the same gender when you’d subconsciously thought the opposite for as long as you’d known what ‘attraction’ was, was a revelation that Mafuyu could comprehend. For him, it had happened naturally and he’d never thought he was attracted to women or men specifically until he’d fallen in love with Yuki. He hadn’t had a problem with this discovery either, which he knew wasn't Ritsuka’s case. It wasn’t that Ritsuka was confused… it was moreso that he didn’t really know how to act around Mafuyu. It had been adorable watching the confident guitarist attempt to hide his internal breakdown at the idea of sleeping over at his boyfriend’s house when it was just the two of them. That situation had happened twice now and, much to Mafuyu’s dismay, the most virulent thing they’d done was share a kiss or two in between songwriting. Ritsuka had gone down like a log the second time around once his body had connected with the bed and the first time… Mafuyu had been genuinely concerned that he might faint.

Baby steps. That was the best way to go about things. Glancing around one last time to certify that they truly were all by their lonesome, Mafuyu decidedly nudged a poor unconcentrated Ritsuka with his shoulder. The movement had been gentle but the guitarist had been so panicked inside his head to notice what was going on outside; he’d jumped a metre away, cheeks flaring up a pretty pink colour and his eyes widening considerably. If screaming was something the strong and brave Uenoyama Ritsuka did, he would’ve screeched like a pterodactyl, Mafuyu was certain.

‘Uenoyama-kun,’ he voiced, a soft and placid sound that broke the silence like a feather touching down assuredly on solid ground. Ritsuka nodded obediently, like a dog to his master- wait, no, maybe not quite like that. ‘It’s cold, I’ll warm your hand up,’ Mafuyu suggested. Granted, they were both bundled up to the extreme thanks to Haruki’s concern, but that wasn’t an excuse to _not_ hold hands in Mafuyu’s opinion. He held one of his gloved hands out, silently urging Ritsuka to take it. Obviously, that didn’t happen because Mafuyu, quite literally, watched as the faded colour drained from his boyfriend’s face. His skin was as white as the snow Mafuyu wished would start falling already. If Ritsuka weren’t wearing a warm-looking winter coat and a tattered oversized scarf, Mafuyu would’ve assumed he was freezing.

Ritsuka opened his mouth to voice his panicked thoughts but all that came out as the seconds passed were small white clouds from his soft breathing. Mafuyu waited patiently, his arm beginning to tire from hanging out in anticipation but he persevered. ‘What if someone sees us?’ Ritsuka finally muttered, glancing around haphazardly as if he’d been caught burying a body. If anything, he looked guiltier than an actual murderer might if faced with the proof of their crime.

Turning his head slowly from side to side, Mafuyu noticed that nothing had changed and it was still just the two of them. Mind you, it was late and cold out so there was no reason for anyone to be hanging outside for fun. Sighing in silence, Mafuyu’s hand almost dropped to his side before he used it to hoist his guitar case on more comfortably. It kept sliding off his shoulder and the red-haired teen knew who the culprit was: his scarf; there was no way he was removing it though. Not only was it freezing, but his boyfriend had bought it for him at the beginning of the chilly months. That had been quite a sight to see.

Ritsuka had never felt more awkward or embarrassed when he’d suddenly handed a rather large, terribly wrapped, package to his partner. Mafuyu had been more than surprised since there hadn’t been a specific occasion that warranted such a gesture. Ritsuka had explained that he’d noticed Mafuyu never wore a scarf and always tried to use the collar of his adorably-too-big-for-him beige coat to compensate for the lack of wool. Unwrapping the gift, Mafuyu had been delighted at the colour choice and the softness of the fabric. He’d thanked his boyfriend and offered him a small hug and peck on the cheek that had only embarrassed the latter further.

The only problem with the wonderful scarf was that it was massive and Mafuyu had no choice but to place the strap of the instrument’s case on top of it. It kept sliding off uncomfortably, much to his dismay, and made carrying it more of a pain than it already was. Ritsuka noticed that his boyfriend seemed to be struggling so he stopped walking, causing Mafuyu to halt in his stead. The taller of the two turned to face the only other person in proximity and without a single hesitation, he reached in front of him and started fixing his boyfriend’s scarf. Mafuyu stared up at him in slight surprise, none of that evident on his face except for slightly more apparent auburn irises, and waited until he was done.

Ritsuka unravelled the fabric before twisting it back around Mafuyu’s shoulders until it fit snugly without incapacitating his ability to carry his guitar. He hadn’t even realised the implications of his actions until he was done and his hands were still lingering on Mafuyu’s shoulders. He was about to pull them back and wallow in his embarrassment when Mafuyu spoke up again: ‘It’s snowing,’ he announced. Ritsuka glanced up and, sure enough, the stars weren’t as clearly visible anymore, having been covered by a veil of grey that was now allowing small specks of a pure white to fall down onto their faces. A small smile made its way onto Ritsuka’s face, the coldness of the snowflakes peppering his chilled skin.

The same expression wasn’t as overtly visible on Mafuyu’s face, but he was smiling almost giddily on the inside. It was snowing and Ritsuka’s warmth was emanating from the gloved hands still positioned on him. All he wanted to do was share this moment in a more intimate manner than they already were - no, that did not mean he wanted to get frisky in public, he simply wished he could kiss Ritsuka or at the very least hold his hand. He wanted to reach out and press his lips softly against his boyfriend’s for a quick smooch, but he respected Ritsuka’s boundaries and refrained. Soon, the moment had passed and both party’s hands were back to swinging idly to and fro as they proceeded toward the closest means of public transport. Mafuyu was content with waiting for Ritsuka to be ready, he just wouldn’t deny that he yearned for some sort of physical intimacy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albeit short, I hope I managed to get across the love these two feel for each other. Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Feel free to leave any feedback!


	2. ‘I’ll always be here to change your strings for you.’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uenoyama and Mafuyu head out to buy more strings, coming back to the studio and being caught by a nasty blackout that leaves them alone in a room with no light...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you’ll enjoy the second part. :) I know it doesn’t follow along directly from the first but it’s along the same lines.

_ Ting! _ Haruki, Akihiko and Ritsuka turned around simultaneously at the high-pitched sound. Mafuyu slowly glanced down at his now-five stringed guitar.  _ Whoops? _ He’d been strumming the chords Ritsuka had instructed him to practice - barre chords were horrible - when the string had rebelliously succumbed. He couldn’t help but sigh sadly at the sorry state Yuki’s guitar was in once again. He just knew his ex-boyfriend was staring down in horror and chastising him for snapping the e string for the umpteenth time that month. Then again, there was a very valid possibility that it was his fault for not knowing how tuning worked. Ritsuka constantly corrected him since he always seemed to tighten the thinnest string a little too much. Haruki had suggested Mafuyu just buy himself a tuner but Ritsuka had strongly argued against, stating that he refused to date someone who couldn’t tune their guitar by ear. Just the fact that Ritsuka had explicitly referred to Mafuyu as his partner had motivated him to never buy a tuner.

Haruki’s light chuckle filled the momentarily silent studio. Akihiko placed his drumsticks down with a small tap and Ritsuka grumbled something incoherent. ‘How do you manage to snap your strings so fast?’ he questioned, flabbergasted by the achievement.

Mafuyu shrugged, still staring down at the unuseable instrument in his hands. He felt bad that he was interrupting practice once again for such a recurring problem but there wasn’t much he could do about it right at that instant. ‘Do you have any spare strings?’ Haruki asked, putting his bass to the side since they weren’t going to be playing again until Mafuyu’s issue was resolved.

Shaking his head, Mafuyu continued to stare down at the guitar. ‘No. We used those two weeks ago,’ he explained. His grip tightened on the guitar and his knuckles whitened slightly. The sound of the snapping string was echoing in his head and the ominous sound wouldn’t stop resonating.

Akihiko appeared to have noticed something was off so he prodded Ritsuka. ‘Go get him some new strings,’ he insisted, shooting him a glance that would hopefully awaken his oblivious self. ‘We’re going for a smoke,’ the blond added, gesturing for Haruki to follow his lead. The two older men stood up, grabbing what they needed and leaving in silence, the only sound coming from the door clicking shut behind them.

‘Mafuyu?’ Ritsuka asked quietly, putting his guitar down near the bass so he could move around with more facility. His boyfriend hadn’t moved from his spot and his gaze hadn’t deterred from its fixation on the red instrument in his hands. Ritsuka noticed that his grip was much too tight and he hesitantly wrapped his hand around the one that was attempting to crush the bridge of the guitar. ‘Hey, Mafuyu, if you keep squeezing it like that it’s going to break,’ Ritsuka warned, attempting to pry his hand off of the instrument.

Mafuyu finally looked up and while there were no tears in his eyes, there was definitely some sort of sorrow in those gorgeous autumn-coloured orbs. He let go of the guitar and as soon as the contact between the two of them had been breached, it was like Mafuyu had been released from a cruel spell. Ritsuka didn’t have to ponder very long to know what this was about. It wasn’t just the two of them in the room as there was a third spirit sauntering about: Yuki’s. Mafuyu usually never seemed too affected by the idea of playing his dead boyfriend’s guitar, but today just wasn’t one of those days. The pit of Ritsuka’s stomach bubbled with uncalled for jealousy which he ignored by pulling the guitar up and over his boyfriend. ‘Let’s change these strings… and stop making that face when I’m with you,’ he added as an afterthought, placing the guitar next to his.  _ What a compromising vision. _

Turning around, he was met with big glossy eyes. Half of his head begged him not to do anything and just head out of the studio to the shop, but the amorous half of his mind urged him to address the despairing look in Mafuyu’s eyes. ‘C’mere,’ he encouraged, his arms stretching out into an open invitation that he could only hope Mafuyu would take. Not even a second later and Mafuyu was in his arms, clinging onto him tighter than a normal hug. Ritsuka had actually been obligated to take a step back to avoid toppling over. Wrapping his arms around Mafuyu’s orange cardigan, he held him close, the latter’s head pressed up against his chest. He noticed his boyfriend’s heart was thumping far more rigorously than what was expected of a normal heart rate, but he wasn’t going to neglect the courageous gesture. These moments of physical affection were so few and far between, Mafuyu would take all that he could get, especially in such a moment. He needed Ritsuka to remind him that Yuki, while never forgotten, was in the past and this moment in time was the present and their relationship, the future. Mafuyu cherished every instant with Ritsuka, perhaps moreso than someone of his age would. One just never knew when they could suddenly lose everything.

He would gladly stay in his arms until it was time to leave the studio, but unfortunately life didn’t always go as planned. ‘If we keep wasting time, the other two’ll finish their cigarettes before we’ve even left the building,’ Ritsuka said with a nervous chuckle, not finding the courage to pull away. Mafuyu was the one to do so, albeit reluctantly, and his heart fluttered at the sight of the light blush that had tinted the guitarist’s cheeks. He’d turned his face away as soon as Mafuyu had detached himself from him, hoping to avoid such a circumstance but, disregarding Mafuyu’s habitually snail-like reactions, he was quick to notice such things - especially on his own boyfriend. Grabbing his wallet and jacket, Ritsuka headed over to the door and opened it, holding it wide for Mafuyu to pass through. The latter nodded his thanks as he shuffled past and made his way down the corridor and out the front double doors.

The frosty breeze hit him like a million jagged spikes stabbing him ferociously across all of his exposed skin. He’d been so distracted by his ‘moment’ with the guitar and then Ritsuka’s subsequent hug that he hadn’t thought of grabbing something to wear over his cardigan. Poor choice on his behalf and his chattering teeth were further proof of the neglected decision. He felt something heavy fall on his shoulders and as he turned his head to discover what it was, he saw Ritsuka walk past him, jacket-less and down the street. Mafuyu followed behind, attempting to catch up with his boyfriend’s long strides. ‘Uenoyama-kun,’ he called out weakly, his quieter-than-usual voice taking him by surprise. Ritsuka slowed down only slightly, enough for the red-head to catch up and stroll alongside him. ‘Here.’ He pulled the black leather off of his warmed up shoulders and attempted to hand it back to its owner.

Ritsuka waved him away. ‘Keep it, you look freezing,’ he countered. Mafuyu didn’t fight back, knowing he wouldn’t win, and tugged the fabric back onto himself. He couldn’t tell if Ritsuka’s cheeks were slightly pink from the cool air or from the gesture but, either way, it just made Mafuyu fall for him even more. Without checking, Mafuyu reached out, sans second thought, and bravely grabbed Ritsuka’s hand. The contact wasn’t warm like one would expect, it was beyond icy but Mafuyu wouldn’t let go unless he was asked to. Clammy or frozen, Mafuyu would gladly hold his boyfriend’s hand. Ritsuka’s reaction wasn’t actually what he’d expected: he’d jolted and tightened his grip on ‘impact’ but hadn’t pulled away. The lack of reclining had Mafuyu smiling giddily and sliding closer so that their upper arms were touching ever so slightly.

* * *

_ This colour’s nice… _ Mafuyu flipped the orange pick between his fingers.  _ I’ll get him this _ , he decided, turning away from the pick section and heading back toward the string one. Ritsuka was still looking for the right ones. He was so engrossed in his search that he hadn’t even noticed Mafuyu disappear and come back a few minutes later. He leaned over his shoulder, since Ritsuka was crouched and looking at the bottom strings, flipping a black packet in the same way Mafuyu had done moments earlier. ‘This should be good,’ he affirmed, standing up and accidentally knocking into his boyfriend. He twisted around and apologised for the careless movement but Mafuyu was the first to tell him it was nothing. The two then headed toward the counter to pay. As Mafuyu reached over to grab the strings so he could pay for them, he realised he’d been beaten by Ritsuka already placing them on the surface situated in front of the cashier and pulling the necessary amount out.

‘Wait, I’ll pay,’ Mafuyu tried but Ritsuka shot him a look that meant there was no discussing this. The youthful guitarist wasn’t a physically affectionate individual but he had no problem showing his boyfriend he cared in other ways. He did not always pay for everything Mafuyu needed, however, this was the easiest way for him to show he cared, especially in public. The gesture went unnoticed by the cashier who just did not care but Mafuyu understood the message his boyfriend was trying to implicitly get across. ‘This too,’ the more silent boy announced, placing the orange pick on the counter. It seemed terribly lame next to the much more expensive strings Ritsuka was currently purchasing, but Mafuyu hadn’t exactly planned on that happening.

Speaking of, the dark-haired boy shot him a quizzical look. ‘Why do you need a new pick?’ he asked but received no answer as Mafuyu handed the little amount of money it took to become the proud owner of such a minuscule item. The two regretfully headed back outside and once they were far enough from the kitsch neon lights of the music shop, Mafuyu gently tugged on Ritsuka’s sleeve, pulling him to a halt. He felt uncertain offering such a small gift but he’d really wanted to get him something as a thanks for earlier on - and for constantly changing his strings - and this was the best he could do on such short notice without arising too many suspicions.

‘Here,’ he said simply, holding his hand out with the delicately tiny object placed comfortably in his palm. Ritsuka stared at it for a second, then up at his boyfriend’s also very orange hair and eyes, then back at the other very orange element. He’d been slightly curious as to why Mafuyu felt the need to buy another pick already but he could understand wanting to have a range of colours; Ritsuka was guilty of having more picks than he would ever need but if asked about his varied collection, he would assure them that a guitarist could never have too many.

Ritsuka took it from him, the lingering touch of skin on skin sending a shiver up his arm. ‘Thanks, Mafuyu,’ he replied, shooting him his lopsided grin. He was going to cherish this pick much more than any other because, as it conveniently turned out, a guitarist only needed one pick that meant a lot to them. This one assuredly surpassed all the others in value. He pocketed it so as to not drop it, because he would hate to lose such a precious gift, and gestured for the two of them to keep walking back. Mafuyu followed readily, glad that Ritsuka seemed to like such a small present. ‘Thank you for the strings. I’m sorry it’s so insignificant but I wanted to get you something to say thanks for… for changing my strings on a weekly basis,’ he explained, voicing his thoughts for a duration that extended past the usual length. There was a very obvious double meaning to his gratitude that Ritsuka caught onto.

His boyfriend seemed to notice the prolonged speech and gladly reassured him. ‘I love it. I love the colour and I’m going to use it as soon as I change your strings,’ he paused, hesitating on whether to voice his next thought or not, ‘and you know I’ll always be here to change your strings for you, right?’ He knew Mafuyu was aware of the double meaning behind that last sentence and he’d realised he wanted to promise such a deep thing to him. Yuki would always be a lingering presence, whether it came through the form of a former lover or a childhood friend lost far too soon. Ritsuka didn’t want Mafuyu to forget him, on the contrary, he selfishly wanted Mafuyu to love him enough that forgetting Yuki wouldn’t even be necessary. He knew that thought wasn’t the best but there were just some things you couldn’t control. He also just didn’t want Mafuyu to forget Yuki because he couldn’t ask something so awful like that of him. Promising to forever fix his guitar strings was an intermediate that meant he would always be here for him, even when Yuki wasn’t anymore. Ritsuka wasn’t a replacement but a new beginning and that meant being able to help Mafuyu in his mourning.

Nodding, Mafuyu turned his head and offered him his prettiest smile. His lips turned upward and his eyes filled with a reassuring glow as they squinted ever so slightly from the newly formed expression. ‘I know,’ he promised in return. There was no doubt in his mind that Ritsuka cared. If anyone ever made a comment about their lack of visible romantic affection, he wouldn’t even deem their response with a form of acknowledgment because they didn’t know Ritsuka the way he did. He also knew that Ritsuka opening up to him and becoming more comfortable physically was a process. A few weeks back, he never would’ve been able to hold his hand outside and today he’d accomplished just that. That small moment of physical contact was enough for Mafuyu, because he knew how much of an effort Ritsuka was making to simply do that. He was also proud of him for slowly opening up in such a way… but those were things he would voice to him at a later date. Perhaps he’d be able to put forth the emotions he felt when he thought about his boyfriend in a song. That would be nice.

* * *

As the door shut behind them, the two teens were met with skeptical looks from their bandmates, as if they would’ve dared to do something other than going out and purchasing strings. They weren’t exactly incorrect as Ritsuka had indeed come back with a new pick but that certainly was not what they were imagining. Sometimes, he felt like the two older students were more invested in the development of their relationship than the two involved themselves. Ritsuka refused to utter a single sound as he stalked over to Mafuyu’s guitar. He picked it up, along with his own guitar case, and dragged everything over to a stool that they’d placed in a corner to free up some room. On the way back, Mafuyu had asked if it was alright to show him how to change the strings again. The sneaky boy had actually figured out how to change them by himself but Ritsuka didn’t need to know that. Mafuyu sat himself down in front of him, looking up like an obedient student. The two others in the room occupied themselves by going over the sheet music they’d each prepared over the weekend, sneaking more than occasional glances in the lovebirds’ direction.

Ritsuka rummaged around in his guitar case until he found what he was looking for. He grabbed the pliers and went about snipping the strings, exchanging them for new ones and tightening them until the instrument sounded just right. Haruki had questioned him about changing all of them when only one was the problem and Ritsuka had explained that he’d been unable to find the same type they’d bought last time. The shop was probably out of stock from all the strings they kept purchasing. Handing the guitar back to a waiting Mafuyu, he patted his head and stood up, tidying things away haphazardly and picking up his own electric again. ‘Ready?’ he asked once Mafuyu was up beside him. He nodded and after checking if the other two were good to go, they started their practice up again.

* * *

Gulping down enough water to fill up a camel, Ritsuka relished in the hydrating sensation.  _ Ah, his one true love: water. _ ‘Uecchi,’ Haruki voiced, interrupting the boy’s quality time spent with his water bottle. He put the empty plastic down next to his bag and turned to stare at his friend. He nodded in acknowledgement, the gesture encouraging Haruki to pursue his train of thought. ‘You bought a new pick?’ The long-haired blond was more than aware of Ritsuka’s collection and this new one had sparked his interest more than any others had thus far. As the young man looked down at the item in between his calloused fingers, Haruki understood why he’d been called out by it: the colour reminded him of a certain Pomeranian-like bandmate of theirs.

Ritsuka shrugged the question off as nonchalantly as one currently blushing madly could. ‘Mafuyu got it for me,’ he admitted, the thought filling him with a wonderful type of warmth. It might not have seemed like something to make a big deal out of for it was simply a pick but for Ritsuka, it meant a lot more than that. Granted, it looked lovely and strummed well but the idea that his boyfriend knew that such a token would mean more to him than buying him dinner, for example, meant the world to him. Guitar was his passion and Mafuyu was his love, so mixing the two of them together could only mean good things.

A smirk came over Haruki’s face at the response. He was glad to see Ritsuka getting over his shyness and Mafuyu being less afraid to get closer to his new boyfriend. It was wonderful being able to watch the both of them grow together. He was more than glad that Akihiko’s gamble had paid off. Ritsuka was still as harsh and critical with Mafuyu’s sound as he’d been previously, if not more so since he terribly wanted his boyfriend to keep progressing in a field that they both loved. Mafuyu had also been improving a lot but that was probably due to all the time the two of them spent together outside of the studio. Either way, it suited the band to a T and they were all better off thanks to the improvements. ‘I see. That’s sweet of him,’ Haruki idly remarked, nudging an unfocused Akihiko. He pulled his gaze away from where it had currently been targeting his phone and shot his own boyfriend a curious look. ‘It’s so sweet that Mafuyu bought you a pick,’ he repeated now that he had garnered the drummer’s attention.

Akihiko raised a sceptical eyebrow, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees to stare at Ritsuka in amused curiosity. His young friend was scowling now at their behaviour but the colour of his cheeks just proved how he truly felt about the gesture. ‘Where is Mafuyu now?’ the drummer asked. Their fourth band member had mysteriously disappeared. He’d gone out to get himself a drink but still hadn’t come back. His boyfriend had had more than enough time to down his entire stock of water and Mafuyu still hadn’t returned to the studio. ‘Go check on him,’ Akihiko urged, poking the dark-haired boy playfully with one of his drumsticks, in the same sort of manner he’d done with Haruki a few months back. Ritsuka swatted at the wooden offender, rolling his eyes as he headed outside of the studio.

‘Mafuyu?’ he called out, looking around for his boyfriend. The young man was nowhere to be seen, not even near the vending machines where he should’ve been. After sauntering about aimlessly for a bit, he went up to the front desk and asked the person tending it if they’d see a lost orange-haired teenager. The answer was negative, as could have been expected, and so Ritsuka was left to take out the phone he forgot he owned to dial Mafuyu. Obviously, no one ever picked up on the other side of the line and today was no different. Running a slightly stressed out hand through his hair, Ritsuka realised he was beginning to worry. Where on earth could Mafuyu have gone? He couldn’t have gotten far, what with only having been gone over five minutes, but he was absolutely nowhere to be seen. ‘Mafuyu?’

Still no answer. He started heading back to the studio, not entirely overjoyed about letting his slight panic shine through when he had to face his friends, when an uncapped bottle of water caught his attention. Ritsuka turned the corner and finally found his boyfriend crouched on the floor and looking underneath a storage room door. ‘Mafuyu? What are you doing?’ Ritsuka asked, coming to stand beside him. Sure, his boyfriend had his small off moments, but staring at the floor, crouched, was a new one. It only made Ritsuka slightly more concerned. Mafuyu looked up at the sound of the disconcerted voice; the owner of said voice was reassured to see that there weren’t any unshed tears in his eyes or anything of the sort.

‘I dropped my phone and it fell under there,’ the crouching musician explained, pointing to the darkness that consumed the underside of the door. Ritsuka had to applaud his boyfriend’s originality but he certainly was not going to be escaping from a lecture for having made him worry. Now was not the time, however, as they had to go and recover the lost device. Sighing, Ritsuka affectionately ran one of his hands through Mafuyu’s soft locks before he turned and headed back toward the front of the shop. Going up to the counter, he asked if it would be possible to open the storage door since his ‘friend’ had dropped his phone and it had slid under. The person tending to the entrance stared, bored, as he took some keys out and handed them to Ritsuka. He lazily instructed him which one it probably was and told him to just bring them back after. Content with that, the guitarist headed back over to his boyfriend and found him standing near the door, looking down sorrowfully at the ground.

Ritsuka made his way over and opened the door, letting the both of them in. He fumbled around for a potential light switch and, when he found it, both sighed in collective disappointment when it simply clicked without illuminating the room. ‘Do you have a flashlight?’ Mafuyu asked, peering into the darkness that enveloped the storage room.

Shaking his head, the black-haired boy pulled out his phone and gestured to the turned off phone. It had lost all of its battery somewhere between its last charge and now. ‘I did,’ he replied. Mafuyu patted him gently on the head in comfort before walking into the room and crouching down again to feel around for his phone. The crinkling lights from the corridor weren’t even enough to illuminate the L-shaped room which meant the two boys had to resort to such unclean methods. Ritsuka wasn’t going to abandon his boyfriend though, so he joined him on the floor and began searching as well. ‘How did that even happen?’ he asked, looking over in the direction he thought his boyfriend was.

Mafuyu’s soft voice indicated that he’d been looking the opposite way so he turned around clumsily: ‘I was trying to uncap my water bottle when someone ran past and I dropped the lid and my phone,’ he explained. The revelation only aggravated him further since he didn’t like the idea of someone just idly pushing past  _ his _ boyfriend and not even helping him pick up what he’d dropped. That didn’t matter now anyway since he was the one aiding him now. Suddenly, all the lights turned off, even the ones outside, and a collective groan could be heard around the building. The echoing sound made it obvious that there was an unfortunate power cut, most certainly due to the heavy snow outside. The lack of light changed nothing for the two boys, it simply made it harder to see any outlines or silhouettes. Scrounging around for the device, Ritsuka was about to admit defeat when his hand finally brushed up against something - or someone. He yelped the manliest sound that could have possibly escaped his lips and fell down onto his backside. ‘Uenoyama-kun?’ Mafuyu called out, concerned.

The darkness meant that it was impossible to see the blush forming on Ritsuka’s cheeks, but it was most  _ definitely _ coating his face. He had  _ not _ just screamed after accidentally touching his boyfriend’s hand. Nope. ‘I’m fine, it’s nothing,’ he reassured with a shaky chuckle. He heard shuffling and after a moment of listening to the ruffling of clothes, he felt two hands on his knees. Ritsuka hadn’t moved from his spot and was now waiting with a steadily racing heart to see - or feel - what Mafuyu was doing. ‘Mafuyu?’ he interrogated hesitantly.

One of Mafuyu’s hands left his knee and trailed up Ritsuka’s chest until he had located his face. He cupped his jaw with that silky touch of his and brushed his thumb wistfully against his bottom lip. The paralysed boy felt his heart speed up a notch at the unexpected, but welcome, sensation. ‘M-Mafuyu?’ he tried again, his voice much quieter than it had previously been. Mafuyu’s answer came in the form of him leaning in close. The proximity was so that Ritsuka could feel and hear his boyfriend’s soft breathing. He waited in complete stillness and soon, Mafuyu had breached the distance between them by planting his lips gently against Ritsuka’s.

Cue panic. This wasn’t the first time they’d kissed but every single time, a little part of Ritsuka panicked. Certainly, he’d actually been the first to kiss Mafuyu but that had been during a concert high, so totally different. Right now, it was pitch black and technically, anyone could walk in on them. Plus, this had come out of nowhere! Ritsuka hadn’t been ready for this at all and his currently disordered mental state was further proof of that.

‘I found it!’ Mafuyu exclaimed, picking up his phone. He swiped it open and accidentally blinded his boyfriend with his torch. It stirred him out of his stupor, forcing him to raise his arm to protect his azur orbs. ‘Sorry!’ Mafuyu apologised, lowering the angle of his phone so that they could still see each other but there was no risk of anyone losing their eyesight. Once Ritsuka had recovered, he realised he’d completely missed the one-sided kiss since he hadn’t even noticed when Mafuyu had pulled away and begun searching again. Spurred on by some form of romantic energy, he shuffled closer and while Mafuyu seemed occupied by something else on the ground, he wrapped his arm around the ginger’s neck and drew him in for a more brutal kiss.

A small squeak escaped Mafuyu’s lips at the unexpected turn of events but he certainly wasn’t going to complain. He turned his face so the kiss could occur more comfortably for the both of them, leaning into the half-embrace his boyfriend offered him. It reminded him of the first kiss they’d shared and how Ritsuka had held him the same way. His arm had swung around his shoulders and brought him in so they could lock lips. At the time, it had been a short but intense peck. This time, it lasted a lot longer and there was more movement in the way they partially detached from each other before going back in for a few more seconds. Their movements weren’t in sync but the amount of diluted passion they both offered was mirrored in the way neither parted from the other. The darkness had already accentuated their sensory reactions but after they’d both closed their eyes, their shared kiss had begun to feel so much more  _ precious _ . Now that they didn’t have to devote energy to attempting to see around them, they could wholly focus on what their mouths were doing. Tragically, they would never know how long this could have gone on as they were soon interrupted by someone coughing a little dramatically. Ritsuka pulled away like a flash of lighting, turning to see who it was. Before the front of his face disappeared from view, Mafuyu caught sight of the fear in his eyes at the idea of getting caught.

Akihiko stared down at them with a cocky smirk plastering his face. ‘Was I interrupting something?’ he asked teasingly, causing Ritsuka to stand up hurriedly, nose, ears and cheekbones burning from embarrassment. He held out a hand for Mafuyu to take so he could raise himself up as well. He did so, grabbing the cap of his water bottle before he left the floor and, as soon as he was up, Ritsuka rushed out of the room and down the corridor. Both musicians stared after him with Akihiko shrugging in unquestioning resolve. He interrogated Mafuyu on where he’d gone and the latter explained his ordeal as they walked back to their reserved room. The power had just come back on again, allowing Mafuyu to catch a glimpse of his boyfriend heading toward the restrooms. Hm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! <3
> 
> Feel free to leave any feedback!


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